LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - European shares rose back to near
multi-year highs on Tuesday after a European Central Bank (ECB)
policymaker said the ECB would front-load an asset purchase
scheme, aimed at boosting growth in the region.

The comments led the euro to trade below $1.12 for the first
time in a week, juicing investor appetite for stocks -
especially in the exporter-heavy German DAX index. Euro
weakness in the first three months of the year added 17 billion
euros to German blue-chip company revenues, according to EY.

Athens' stock market, which has consistently
underperformed this year due to worries over Greece's debt
situation, also rose after the Greek labour minister said Athens
would soon conclude a deal with foreign creditors that could
unlock more loans to the cash-starved country.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index was up 1.3
percent at 0927 GMT, though it pulled back from session highs
after a survey showed German investor morale fell by more than
expected in May.

The FTSEurofirst has now recovered its losses since the
start of the month, with some investors saying the past few
weeks' volatility linked to the roller coaster sell-off in the
bond market had not altered their positive stance on equities.
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